Ambulances delayed by traffic light

I would like to bring to Gulf News’ attention, a very important situation that might sometimes be a matter of life and death.

* An unnecessarily long wait at a traffic signal in Bur Dubai may be costing lives, according to Gulf News reader Syam Manohar. He said: "I have seen ambulances getting stuck... for as long as 10 minutes." * Image Credit: Syam Manohar/Gulf News Reader

I live near Rashid Hospital roundabout, next to the Dubai Metro station, which is currently under construction.

Because of the hospital, ambulances arrive at the junction at all times of the day. However, they often get delayed while approaching the hospital from 10th Street — the road near the football stadium and school zone.

For some reason, the duration of the wait at the traffic signal on this road is twice as long as the others. Only after other signals turn green twice does this signal turn green once.

As a consequence, traffic piles up on this road more often than on others. This becomes a big issue when ambulances approach the hospital. With the road’s width being limited by the construction of the Metro station, the vehicles are unable to make way for the ambulances.

I have seen ambulances getting stuck at this particular signal for as long as 10 minutes. In many cases, that can be the difference between life and death. In the past six months, I have seen this happen more than 10 times.

Given the critical nature of the road’s usage, I think it is important that the duration of the stop at the traffic signal is shortened. This would then help patients in the ambulances reach the hospital faster.

– The reader is a creative director, based in Dubai.

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